Spatial Representation in Blind Children. 2: Effects of Task Variations

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Abstract
In the literature on spatial representation in blind people, several parameters of spatial tasks have been used as controlled variables without due consideration of the effects they might have on the type or efficiency of subjects’ spatial representation. Two such variables are the size of the object or environment to be represented and the degree of freedom allowed subjects in their exploration of these objects or environments. Data about the blind subjects of the author's previously reported study on spatial representation in blind children were further analyzed using a three-way repeated-measures design to determine the effect of room size and exploration mode in response to questions about the position of furniture in a room. Neither variable produced a significant main effect. The responses of subjects in the free-exploration condition were further analyzed to determine the effect on performance of the actual exploration strategy. In the first trial of the task, the exploration route that corresponded to the route previously used to introduce subjects to the empty room was the most successful strategy. By the final trial, the differences among strategies had decreased. Organized strategies, however, were found to be more successful than random movement.

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